The Edo State House of Assembly has removed Hon Natasha Osawaru Irobosa of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) as minority leader.

Osawaru was removed alongside Charity Aiguobarueghian, the Majority Leader. However, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and Maria Edeko, who are also members of the PDP, still retained their positions as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

The assembly also removed Hon Yekini Idaiye, PDP, as Chief Whip of the house.

Daily Trust reports that the changes were a result of a letter to the assembly by the state acting All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Jarret Tenebe, following the PDP’s loss of majority status in the assembly due to the defection of four of its lawmakers to the APC.

Speaker of the House who announced the change in the principal positions said they were replaced with Hon Ibhamawu Jonathan Aigbokhan, APC, Esan West as Majority Leader, Hon Addeh Emakhu Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I, and Hon Lecky Hussein Mustapha, APC, Etsako West I as Majority Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Whip respectively.

He said PDP leadership in the state would also bring its list of nominees of principal officers to the House.

Agbebaku added that his position as the Speaker and that of the Deputy Speaker were not certain in the leadership change of the House.